Monday Night Raw – December 6, 1993: Come Back Bobby
Monday Night Raw
Date: December 6, 1993
Location: Westchester County Civic Center, White Plains, New York
Attendance: 3,000
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan
Dang I just finished the January 1994 shows and now I get to see how we got there. We’re just past the Survivor Series where Lex Luger and AMERICA defeated the evil foreigners (one of them all the way from Hawaii) but more importantly, Bret and Owen Hart took their first steps towards an amazing feud. Let’s get to it.
The opening video looks back at Shawn Michaels attacking Razor Ramon during a match against Diesel. The 1-2-3 Kid made the save and we’ve got a match tonight. This was around the time when Shawn was suspended for a steroids violation while still Intercontinental Champion. He returned and claimed to still be champion, setting up a huge feud.
Vince and Bobby preview the show.
Shawn Michaels vs. 1-2-3 Kid
Shawn has the Intercontinental Title but isn’t champion. They start fast with Kid firing off the kicks to send Shawn outside for a springboard dive. We hit a long headlock until Kid makes the mistake of trying to climb the corner, allowing Shawn to suplex him down for the break. That’s fine with Kidd who sends Shawn shoulder first into the post, only to dive into a powerslam on the floor.
We take a break and come back with Shawn working on the ribs to keep things slow, which isn’t something you often see Michaels do. Another suplex gives Shawn two and it’s off to a backbreaker. Back up and a spinning kick sets up even more kicks (to be fair, kids don’t have the most varied offense), only to miss something like a Swanton as we take a second break.
Just like earlier we come back to Shawn in control and hitting a Razor’s Edge, only to pull the Kid up at two. Vince thinks that should be a DQ because Vince has some weird ideas at times. A second Razor’s Edge brings out Razor Ramon to chase Shawn up the aisle. Shawn trips but Diesel gets in a cheap shot from the curtain as I’m guessing the match was thrown out somewhere in there, even though it should have been a countout win for the Kid.
Rating: B. Good match here as the Kliq (not yet formed of course) continues to be the best workers in the company and are always more than willing to work with each other. This was much better than your average match around this time, which isn’t exactly shocking given who was in there.
Shawn gives Razor the Edge on the floor, albeit nearly in slow motion to prevent a bad case of death. A second Edge keeps Razor in trouble as Vince is LOSING IT on commentary.
Quebecers vs. Bert Centeno/Mike Walsh
Non-title. Centeno starts with Jacques and slaps him in the face before bailing out to the floor. Walsh comes in and is sent hard into the corner as the beating begins. A backdrop sends Pierre onto Centeno and the Cannonball ends a long squash.
Rating: D. It’s not a good sign when the best part of the match was Johnny Polo sitting in a chair with his feet up reading a magazine. Then again, Polo was often the best part of the Quebecers’ matches. These squashes are only going to get you so far and the Quebecers weren’t the best option in the first place.
Post match Centeno is put in Polo’s chair and clotheslined out.
Royal Rumble ad.
Owen Hart doesn’t want to hear about Bret winning Superstar of the Year. He has a surprise coming.
Doink the Clown vs. Tony DeVito
DeVito is nice enough to let Doink stroll Dink around before we get going. Dink gets on the apron for no apparent reason as DeVito gets caught in an armbar. Another takedown keeps Tony in trouble as you can hear the crowd going very quiet for this, which isn’t the biggest surprise. Dink is still on the apron and being rather annoying but that’s standard for him.
A German suplex drops DeVito and we hit a headlock as we hear about Star Wars airing on USA. Another takedown has Vince complaining about how many times Doink has done pretty much the same thing. The Whoopee Cushion ends a squash that has me longing for the Quebecers match.
Rating: D-. WAY too long here as Doink has lost everything after turning heel. This was a really boring match and Dink continues to be far more annoying than he really should have been. Given that he’s a small clown, that’s quite a bit of an accomplishment. Bad squash with the five minute runtime being ridiculous.
Jeff Jarrett and his unnamed friend (with his awesome hat) walk the streets of Nashville and complain about never getting a break.
We look back at Crush attacking Randy Savage, which somehow got Savage suspended.
Crush vs. Tony Roy
Heenan says Mr. Fuji is very happy because tomorrow is the anniversary of Pearl Harbor. This is the regular phone call match with Savage calling in from the United Kingdom. Crush shrugs off the offense and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker as we hear about Savage’s time as a macho baby. The slow beating continues as Savage’s reception cutting in and out. I think he’s giving us a salad recipe though. A gorilla press onto the top rope puts Tony away.
Rating: D. This was all about the phone call which was all to set up Savage making his in-ring return next week to face Fatu. The best part though was Vince telling Bobby that Gorilla Monsoon called in earlier today but it was a LOCAL call. The fear in Heenan’s voice was perfect and I think that might be leading somewhere.
We run down next week’s card and heeeeeere’s Gorilla. Monsoon has good news and bad news for Heenan. The good news is he’s won a free trip. Heenan: “I don’t care to go anywhere!” The bad news is Monsoon grabs him by the jacket and literally drags him out of the arena. Heenan’s luggage is waiting next to the door as Gorilla throws both him and it out of the building (and the company as he was off to WCW). Heenan looks close to tears as he salutes the building and leaves.
Overall Rating: C+. That one match really is enough to carry the whole show but the ending is actually a little sad. Heenan never was his old self in WCW and it’s a shame to see him go. At least it was in a funny moment with Monsoon getting to do it. Those two had some of the best chemistry ever and Heenan’s line of “I wish Monsoon was here” at the Hall of Fame gets me every time. Not a good show, but check out that opener.
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Bobby’s exit was truly an end of an era for WWF at the time, while Savage hung on til late 94 when he finally had it with Vince bench warming him and Ted until 96.
Bobby leaving felt like this was it for the rock and roll era.
Heenan was on the commentary table on Raw every week once Vince rid himself of Rob Barrett’s bad commentary. Making those witty remarks, creating a presence to balance out Vince’s very monotone commentary week in and week out that I have reminded myself when watching the old Raw episodes on wwe network.
Selling moments like Ric Flairs match with Perfect at the start of the year and hilariously swearing at the result. Completely putting over Jim Cornette when he turned up on Raw in August. Taking a bucket of water from Doink and as always making a fool of himself for the value of comedy, TV and character.
His send off from Monsoon was one of the best in wrestling, so fitting for his character. A perfect conclusion to their legendary relationship via Prime Time wrestling and their brilliant commentary over many ppvs. With Monsoon getting the last laugh that so many faces don’t get anymore.
These sort of moments that WWE try to do but because they shortcut their way to them feel unearned, this felt very earned from the hard work of monsoon and Heenan over the years and sweet because of their strong friendship in real life.
Not to mention hilarious for the brick joke of Heenan nicking stuff rom hotels like toilet paper and Monsoon kicking the door open the way he did.
Heenan truly was never the same in WCW (working with Tony S would do that to anyone), but the fact working for them allowed him to see his daughter. Travel far less, more pay and get neck surgery that he solely needed balances this bitter fact.
I really missed Bobby’s commentary on the 94 Raw episodes. Savage was like booker t on commentary, entertaining and always a joy to listen to. But not good at calling the action. Though to be fair there was little action to truly call on in that period and Vince was Vince on the commentary team.
Bobby in WCW was a weird cat, as at times he was quasi-face, particularly after the nWo premiered. I agree he was not at his best, but I do like that he was always a Goldberg mark and he appropriately goes nuts after Goldberg beats Hogan for the championship.